Author Notes: Hi! This story came to me very suddenly. I warn you before you read, the last chapter will contain some issues that might upset some people.
This story will start at season one, and end some time after the Siege, but doesn't contain any specific or major spoilers. I am abysmal at writing accents, so I apologise for Carson's speech which will generally be written like the others. Anyway, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
The Wraith Hunters
Chapter 1
"Run! Come on!" Major John Sheppard whirled around, yelling at his team mates. Teyla was already ahead of them, dialling the Stargate.
The attack had come out of nowhere. Major Sheppard's team had been accompanying Dr Beckett in administering medicine to the Hej, a nomadic group of people who had offered a share of their crops in return for medical aid. The Hive ship had loomed out across the sun, creating an eclipse as Wraith darts rained down from the sky. Teyla's senses had only given them a split second advantage, and although they had tried to take some of the Hej with them, the people were too out of their minds in terror to listen. The settlement had been too close to have merited the use of a puddle jumper, and so now, the five were running for their lives.
The Stargate exploded into the atmosphere as Teyla hit the engage with far more force than necessary. Dr Rodney McKay was the next member of his team to come crashing through the trees. John grabbed his arm, "Go through with Teyla, now!"
The Athosian punched in their IDC and forcibly dragged the scientist through the gate. Shots from Wraith stunners flittered through the undergrowth, forcing John to take cover behind the DHD. After what seemed like an age, Lieutenant Ford staggered into the clearing, carrying Carson, Atlantis' CMO, "He was hit by a stunner! Go sir!" Ford yelled.
Ignoring him, John ran forward to help. Between them, they half ran towards the open wormhole. Suddenly, to accompany the Wraith on the ground, an ear popping roaring shot over their heads and looped around; a dart. The shimmering beam cascaded downwards to scoop up the runners. John shoved Ford sideways and made to dive in the other direction, dragging Carson. However, at the same time, he was shot in the back with a stunner from the ground. Ford watched in horror as his commanding officer fell sideways, still carried by his momentum, losing his grip on the unconscious Carson, who was swallowed by the beam.
Still numb, Ford's instincts kicked in making him grab his CO and jump through the gate before the dart came around again.
Hidden in the shadows of the vegetation, two pairs of eyes watched on as the dart dialled the Stargate as soon as the wormhole to Atlantis closed, and shot through. The owners of these two pairs of eyes, a woman and a boy, did not wait as they too ran through the Stargate in pursuit to the planet on the other side.
Denna emerged from the Stargate at a run, shortly followed by the boy. She slammed her hand down on the centre of the DHD to cause the wormhole to disengage. The boy was breathing heavily, but still managed to voice his disbelief, "First we leave those men to get captured by the Wraith, and then we follow them? I do not understand."
He looked up at the woman, who raised an eyebrow. "Turn around, Rit." The boy turned, and then let out a strangled yelp. In the plain surrounding the Stargate sat five Wraith darts. "Lesson three; never have less technology than your enemy, even if it means stealing theirs. And we did not leave them to die. Four out of the five made it to their home. By taking the fifth one from them, the last two were able to make it to the gate. If we had not acted the way we did, it is likely all three would now be in the hands of the enemy."
Denna strode up to a mountain of a man climbing out of the modified dart to help him with the unconscious human. Laying him on the ground, the man frowned, "His clothes are strange, not from any world I recognise, unless the Genii have advanced further." He spat out the name with contempt.
"He is not Genii, Tchen." Denna rested a hand on his forehead, "He's an Atlantian, the ones who woke the Wraith."
The man's eyes widened, "How can you be sure?"
"I have heard many descriptions of them. Come, we must return to the camp. My father moved us to Chian last night."
The man nodded, and effortlessly lifted Carson into his arms. He strode towards the Stargate, waiting for Denna to dial Chian, and then followed her and Rit through the wormhole.
"Elizabeth, we cannot leave Dr Beckett at the hands of the Wraith."
"I am not sending you all on a rescue mission that will be suicide. MALP telemetry indicates that the Hive ship has already moved on. I'm sorry, but there is no discussion. Dismissed."
Weir rose and left the room, leaving the four team mates stunned. Rodney rose, only to be waved off by Teyla, "There is no point arguing, it was a miracle she let you go the first time to rescue us."
Ford looked at his hands, uncharacteristically sombre, "I can't believe he's gone."
John said nothing.
Carson's head beat out a rhythm that could have been danced to. Blearily opening his eyes, he expected to see one of two things: either the inside of a Wraith ship, or the Atlantis infirmary. He did not expect to be in a tent with a strange woman grinding up some plant material in a pestle and mortar in the corner. He sat up fast, which only caused his head to spin, "Woah."
The woman looked up sharply, "Lie back down!" Her words were spoken harshly, but not without kindness. She gently pressed a hand on his chest and forced him back down, "Welcome to Chian. I am Mianna, a healer. What is your name?"
"Carson. What's going on? Where are the others?"
Mianna smiled sadly, "They are safe back in your home; we rescued you before the Wraith could kill you – or worse. Do not think ill of them, they believe you to be dead. We only rescue people as a last resort, because, generally, they never return home."
Carson frowned, letting his tired brain assimilate this information. A horrible jolt in his stomach reminded him of something, "My GDO!"
The healer frowned, "There was nothing on you when Tchen caught you, only a handgun." Belatedly, Carson remembered dropping his pack, containing his GDO, and having a gun shoved into his hands as John dragged them through the trees. A horrible chill spread through his body; how would he get home? "Can you try and sit up for me?"
With Mianna's help, Carson sat up and drank some water. While he did this, the healer rose, for the first time showing him the right side of her face as her hair fell back. Snaking along her temple, from her eyebrow to her ear, was a black tattoo, spiky in design. Curiosity taking over, Carson asked, "If you don't mind me asking, what is that?" He gestured to her face.
Smiling, Mianna traced the tattoo with her fingertip. "As a people, we are not tied to a world. We are nomadic and, on the whole, consist of people just like you. People we rescue. I have been travelling for nigh on six years now; my village was destroyed by the Wraith. There are only three people who actually still carry the blood of the First; our leader Beren, and his children. These tattoos are of our own design, and mark us as brethren, despite our origins. We gain them when we become warriors. What of you? Your accent is strange, not one I have heard. Where do you hail from?"
"My accent is unique to my country, Scotland. My planet is called Earth."
"I have never heard of it."
"It's in another galaxy, the Wraith have never reached there. Currently, we live on Atlantis."
"Then Denna was right. She recognised the insignia on your jacket. Come, she is outside."
Helping Carson out of bed, she handed him his t-shirt, and led the way out of the tent. The camp was a lot like the Athosian one on the Mainland. It was bright and alive with colours, smells, and sounds. People were going about their work and play, occasionally sneaking curious glances at Carson. A woman was arguing with a huge man over twice her size, "I'm telling you, Tchen, Rit can handle it."
"You put too much faith in the young. The boy is hopeless, your mission report described as much. He is not ready. He has many more years to go before he is strong enough, in either mind or body."
"How is he to learn if you don't let him? He's almost eighteen!"
"He may be your brother, but you cannot treat him like this. If he were any other, you would agree with me. He can train in the camp, not on missions."
The woman was about to retort, when she noticed Carson and Mianna, "We will discuss this later. Prepare the hunting party into the forest; I will be there shortly to take them. You need to start today's training."
Mianna stepped forwards, "Carson, this is Denna, and that was Tchen, they rescued you. I will leave you now."
Carson suddenly felt very awkward once more, having finally begun to feel at ease with Mianna, "So your name's Carson?" He nodded, "As Mianna said, I am Denna, daughter of Beren, our leader. He will want to see you."
Carson fell into step beside Denna, questions swirling around his head. Before he could ask any, however, Denna began to explain, "Centuries ago, my ancestors, the Endari, angered the Wraith by advancing beyond their technological acceptance. They were all but wiped out, save twenty survivors, three families, who fled to another world. They vowed to not rest until the Wraith were gone from the universe, and so here we stand today. My family are the strongest link to the Endari, but we are no longer that people. Over the years, we have picked up many victims of the Wraith to make the society you see before you. We are nomadic, and have many camps across the worlds, so the Wraith never catch us. We are known across the galaxy as a myth; only the Genii know of us, and we of them, from a mistake made years ago. They are our only other enemy."
She led him into a tent, in which an old man sat, presumably Beren. He, like all other adults of the society, bore the tattoo, wrinkled with age, "Ah, the newcomer. Welcome."
Carson wanted to make a good impression; the warrior society and abundance of weapons had not escaped him, but he was still confused, "Thank you, but I'm sorry, who really are you all?"
The old man chuckled, "I am Beren, leader of the Wraith Hunters. Welcome to our camp, Atlantian."
"Thank you, but I really need to get home. Do you have a radio?"
The old man sighed, "Denna, leave us please." After his daughter had left, he gestured for Carson to sit, "We do not carry radios, for fear of discovery. I had thought this was explained to you."
The man waited, listening as the revelation hit the doctor, "I can't go home. Bloody hell." Carson hardly knew any other gate addresses from where he could get help.
"No child. I wish to offer you a home with us. If you do not want this, you are welcome to stay here, but I warn you, this planet is uninhabited and unforgiving to those who do not understand it, and we would not return."
"I barely know you. Can I trust you?"
"What does your instinct tell you?"
Carson looked up to meet the milky white eyes of the old man, absently noting his blindness and vulnerability. If he stayed with them, there was more chance he would coincide with people from Atlantis. These people were strange, but right now he needed friends, "Yes."
To Be Continued…
Author Notes: So what did you think? I would appreciate feedback. The next chapter should be up soon!